\ <The Charlottesville Reflector>

Issue Number:16

Date: 11/18/1933

p. 01, c. 03


Typitown's Role in the Moulding of Youth

Thomas Sellers

A committee, upon investigation, reported to the Civic League that Typitown's youth did not have the proper social environment. Another committee was appointed to visit the various socials and public dances, and then work out a definite recreational program. The youth was immediately exonerated from blame, for it was a known fact that although the public dance hall or side streets were not proper places for young people, but the adults had to offer something better if the others were undesirable. So, immediately a public meeting of parents, guardians and friends was called and it was largely attended.

The chairman of the committee gave the principal address in which he outlined the purpose of the meeting. He made a very inspiring address on the vital importance of moral and social training for youth. After this, he explained the possible remedy for the apparent indifference to their social life. It was as follows: In the first place a recreational center was necessary, even before this part was complete, one of the citizens present, who had no children, but who felt the spell of the Typitown spirit, offered an old building that belonged to him to the group. Then, various committees were formed to engineer drives for raising money, for securing chaperones to be present at the center alternately, each day, from four in the afternoon until eight in the evening. Good books were procured for the reading room in this recreational center, gymnastic equipment was bought for encouraging athletic prowess; the building was divided and on one side the boy activities were carried on and on the other the girls. On Friday, there was a general socialization period when both groups met together for socializing either dancing, cards or perhaps conversation under strict supervision.

Then various clubs were organized among them namely, "Etiquette Clubs", "Culture and Refinement" groups, "Tennis Clubs", "Debating Clubs", "Cooking and Sewing Clubs", "Clubs training for Leadership", "Reading Clubs", "Poetry, Literature and Art Clubs". Those patrons or friends who were most capable were made advisors for these organizations. Because the citizens of Typitown realized that Youth is restless and requires diversion, they made proper adjustments and now Typitown boasts of a city whose records show a very low percent of delinquency among its Youth.